Alexander Peden’s Cave by the River Lugar in Ayrshire
Alexander Peden’s Cave at Auchinbay © david johnston and licensed for reuse.
Peden’s Cave near Auchinbay farm in Ochiltree parish, Ayrshire, is recorded in on the Canmore website:
‘This cave measures 6ft high, 4ft wide, and about 8ft long; its bottom is about 10ft above the bed of the River Lugar. It is evidently artificial as the marks of the tools used in hollowing it out are quite visible, cut in solid freestone rock, rising vertically from the water’s edge. The only way of access is from the top, by six steps, each 15 ins apart, cut in the rock. It is generally thought that the name derives from the Rev Alexander Peden (one of the most famous Covenanting ministers) having hidden there for some time.’
Map of Peden’s Cave at Auchinbay Aerial View of Auchinbay and Peden’s Cave
The Canmore entry is based on the OS Name Book of 1856 entry for it under Ochiltree parish:
‘This cave is evidently artificial, as the marks of the chisel or other instrument used in the hollowing of it out, are quite visible. Cut in a solid freestone rock which rises about 20 feet perpendicular from the water edge. The bottom of the cave is about 10 feet above the bed of the river, 4 feet wide and about 8 long. The only way of access to it is from the top by 6 steps each 15 inch apart cut in the rock. It is generally supposed by the people of the neighbourhood that the prophet Peden lay concealed here for some time, from which circumstance the name is derived.’
I visited the cave with Dane Love of the Scottish Covenanting Memorial Association as part of a radio programme produced by Dr Louise Yeoman for BBC Radio Scotland in 2009. Here are some photos of the cave from our day out.
The entry to the cave is well hidden by a steep cliff edge. If you are planning to visit it, please take great care as entry is down some precipitous steps and round a blind corner. There is a rope somewhere down there.
Dane entering Peden’s Cave
A view of the entry from inside the cave.
Inside is a seat carved out of the rock.
The cave looks out over a steep drop to the River Lugar and faces cliffs on the opposite bank. It is a well concealed location.
Did Peden shelter there? Tradition claims that he did.
For more about Alexander Peden, see here.
Text and Additional Photos © Copyright Dr Mark Jardine. All Rights Reserved.
[…] Some other riverside Peden caves can be found at Sorn and Auchinbay. […]
Alexander Carse and the Covenanters in a Glen Painting at Edinburgh University « Jardine's Book of Martyrs said this on January 7, 2013 at 3:15 pm |
[…] other caves connected to Alexander Peden, see Peden’s Cave at Auchinbay and Peden’s Cave near […]
Alexander Peden’s Cave in the Cleuch Glen and Sorn Castle, Ayrshire « Jardine's Book of Martyrs said this on January 7, 2013 at 3:18 pm |
Which side of the river is the cave, please? I am hoping to visit it shortly
Douglas Somerset said this on June 24, 2014 at 5:00 pm |
Hi Douglas, it is on the west side of the river. When i visited, we parked at Auchinbay farm and walked through the fileld to the river bank. It isn’t that far. The cave itself is quite hard to spot, as only a concealled set of teps leads down to it. You cannot see the cave from the bank above it. There is a rope or chain attached to a tree/rock to hold onto. The short set of steps were narrow and a bit slippery when I went. Take care! It kind of feels like a leap into the unknown, as the cave is round a blind corner down the steps. It appears just when you think wait a minute, this is a bit much, and comes as a relief. Good luck! Mark
drmarkjardine said this on June 24, 2014 at 9:48 pm |
This is Auchinbay farm.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@55.4823,-4.397963,3a,75y,180h,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sz_EMZk8Zk0UM4G5ELYferg!2e0
They might be able to direct you exactly.
http://scotland.yalwa.co.uk/ID_118999372/D-A-Morton-Auchinbay-Farm.html
drmarkjardine said this on June 24, 2014 at 9:51 pm |
[…] Peden’s Cave on the Lugar […]
The Curse of Peden’s Willow: The Mystery of Peden’s Cave near Mauchline #History #Scotland | Jardine's Book of Martyrs said this on November 13, 2015 at 4:08 pm |
[…] ‘concealed cave’ where Peden hid ‘not far off’ from Ten Shilling Side may be Peden’s Cave at Auchinbay, which does lie relatively near to the bridge but on the opposite bank of the Lugar Water from the […]
The Mystery of Alexander ‘Prophet’ Peden’s Death #History #Scotland #Ayrshire | Jardine's Book of Martyrs said this on September 21, 2016 at 8:58 pm |